


Tongue-tied

by Acidqueen (syredronning)



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: ASCEM, M/M, SpockMcCoyDen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-23
Updated: 2010-09-23
Packaged: 2017-10-12 03:24:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/120246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syredronning/pseuds/Acidqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts with cherries and ends with cherries. The story takes place after TMP.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tongue-tied

**Author's Note:**

> My challenge was: "Write an S/Mc where one of the boys reveals a hidden talent." Written with a little bow to the TV series "Twin Peaks".
> 
> Thanks to Autism Mom for a last-minute beta.
> 
> Originally posted February 2005.

Spock was used to McCoy's relaxed stance once the doctor declared himself off-duty, and so he wasn't surprised that McCoy sat on the table in the newly designed sickbay next to a glass filled with undoubtedly alcoholic beverage. It was unusual, however, that he would eat in sickbay, and what he ate was even more unusual.

Spock stepped closer to make sure he identified the red fruits correctly.

"You are eating cherries, doctor?"

"Ah, Spock," McCoy said, and looked up. "Care to have one?"

"Thank you," Spock said and picked a cherry. "I wonder - how did you get them?" he asked. "I cannot recall any cherries on our delivery list, and you did not receive a parcel lately." In concentration Spock tasted the cherry, which was sweet but not overly so. He swallowed the stone and put the stem onto the little pile McCoy had already built.

"Remember the rendezvous with the 'Yarona' two days ago? Dr. T'Rala is an old friend of mine, and she knew about my love for cherries. So she got me a bowl from another friend on Arrelius VI. Quite a service."

McCoy graciously motioned Spock to take another cherry, and the Vulcan obliged.

"It is unusual for Vulcans to present fruit to a friend," Spock said, after he was done with the cherry.

"Well," McCoy blushed slightly. "She's a special old friend - if you know what I mean."

"Indeed?" Spock raised a brow.

"We met after the five-year-mission, when I joined the frontier brigade. Wasn't really the best of times for me, but she was a great colleague...and more." McCoy thoughtfully picked a cherry, circling it in his fingers for a moment before eating it. But he didn't simply chew it, but closed his eyes, barely moving his mouth. Obviously, the memories brought back some intensive emotions.

In silence, Spock picked another cherry and examined it more closely. Given the remotely heart-shaped form and the red blood of humans, it was no wonder that this fruit had a certain symbolic content centering on love. The Japanese culture, as Spock recalled, even had a cherry blossom fest, while Americans like McCoy would rather celebrate Valentine's Day - if there were something to celebrate. On Vulcan, the offering of any fruit was a courting ritual, an old custom from the time when fruit was rare on the wastelands of his home world.

"But a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell." McCoy opened his eyes and put a handkerchief on his lips to catch the stone.

"Perhaps occasionally it would be better to share."

"Are you becoming a voyeur in your old age?" McCoy asked amused.

"I simply wonder how you survived having closer contact with a Vulcan," Spock said, and took another cherry. Without eating, he sat down opposite to McCoy. "I had the impression that some traits of my people can overly tax your patience." His fingers carefully held the cherry against the light, as if it were a little jewel ready to reveal its inner fire.

"I'm not sure if it's more you or your Vulcan side that taxes me more," McCoy admitted. He picked another fruit, using its stem as handhold.

"But we're working together better than in the past, I think." He threw the Vulcan a short glance, then concentrated on the fruit, licking over its surface a few times before eating it.

Spock watched him in growing fascination. McCoy was barely as relaxed as he was now, too tired or maybe too happy for griping and dropping caustic remarks - Spock could almost believe this was another person, not the one he was so often battling with.

The Vulcan took his own cherry and ate it, fully analyzing its taste, the sugar content and the spicy flavor while dismantling the stone. The flesh was firm and yet compliant and covered his tongue with juice for a moment before he swallowed. With fingertips that were already dyed slightly red, he reached out to take another cherry.

"We often shared, T'Rala and I," McCoy said suddenly. "At first, she didn't like them, but in the end she used to finish all the little baskets I bought. And damn, those were worth their weight in gold on the outer rim station where our hospital ship regularly docked."

"I have always liked cherries," Spock said. "And these are especially tasteful."

"Thank you, I'll tell her." McCoy threw Spock another, unreadable glance. "Actually, I didn't want to share them with anyone - but now that you're here, I don't mind."

"Mind sharing or sharing with me?" Spock asked.

"Uhm..." McCoy took another fruit, taking his time to select just the right one. "With you, I guess," he finally said.

"I see." Spock reached for the bowl with the cherries and was about to take one when McCoy leaned forward and offered him the one in his hand.

Spock knew exactly what this gesture meant on Vulcan. But he wondered if McCoy knew it too.

"Take it. I won't bite." McCoy smiled. "And I know," he added. His hand held its position, offering the fruit...and many more things.

Slowly, Spock took the cherry. It was warmer than the others. It was also one of those looking very much like a heart. He put it in his palm, unwilling to just eat it yet.

"I learned it from her," McCoy said. "She told me after I had already fed her with cherries for two weeks. I think it's a bit weird - it's not as if fruits are still valuable little rarities today. But well, we humans cultivated some funny, old-fashioned rituals, too."

Spock thoughtfully looked down at the fruit in his hand."Although you claim to know the meaning of this gesture, Doctor, I am not exactly sure what you are implying with it."

"It means exactly what it looks like," McCoy said. "Nothing more, nothing less." He shrugged and reached out for the bowl, but Spock's hand was faster. The Vulcan carefully chose one of the fruits and offered it to McCoy.

McCoy stared at the cherry, suddenly hesitant. "You don't have to, you know," he said. "It's not as if I know if it will work out. Maybe we'll kill each other on the long run." Their eyes met over the table.

"And you don't have to compete with her. She wouldn't stand a chance against you anyway," he added.

Spock wordlessly held the cherry between his fingertips.

"All right." McCoy took the cherry. "And now?" he asked.

"We will eat them."

"And then?"

"We will see what else one could do with cherries."

"I'm game," McCoy said. "And I even know something to do with a  
stem."

Simultaneously, they lifted their cherries to their lips, sealing their new agreement.

 

Four weeks later the Enterprise arrived on Earth, and a little "welcome home" party took place in the mess, attended by all the Enterprise officers. Spock and McCoy arrived very early, as it was the First Officer's duty to informally inspect the festivity before the Captain commenced the party.

But as usual, Uhura and her team had planned everything perfectly. The room was nicely decorated, and the buffet was long and full of delicious specialties from all over the galaxy. However, it was a bowl with little red fruits that caught McCoy's attention.

"Look, someone bought cherries," McCoy said with a certain glint in his eyes, and took a first one.

Spock's stance was overly controlled, arms crossed behind his back. "I assume Lieutenant Uhura was responsible for this."

"Sure I was," Uhura said, drawing closer. She circled her hand around McCoy's waistline, lifting her head for a confident whisper. "A little bird told me that you like cherries, doctor."

"I do," McCoy agreed whole-heartedly, eating more of them. Thankfully, a small recycling unit was standing nearby to receive the stones.

"And I also heard that you can do a little trick with the stem," Uhura said.

McCoy lifted a brow. "You've heard that?"

"Yes, doc," Uhura smiled. "And I hope you'll show it to me."

McCoy's gaze met Spock's, but the Vulcan only shrugged minutely.

McCoy gave in. "My pleasure, Uhura," he said, took one of the longer stems and put it in his mouth. Uhura intensely stared at his face, watching ever small move of muscles. Only seconds later, McCoy took the stem out again - with a perfect knot.

Uhura was flabbergasted. "You really did it! Oh Doctor, you've got to teach me that trick."

"Some other day, maybe," McCoy said with a twinkle, and dropped the proof of his little talent into the recycler before anyone else could ask him for a performance.

The communications officer got the clue and, after a bit more small talk, left her colleagues alone.

Spock drew closer to McCoy and selected an especially shiny cherry.

"It wasn't you who spread the rumor, was it?" McCoy asked him.

"Of course not." Unobserved by anyone, Spock fed the cherry to McCoy.

"I hope so," McCoy said after he got rid of the stone. "Otherwise I'd be hard-pressed to tell Uhura that we can even tie a stem together."


End file.
